Arch Rivalry is best of Big 12's nonleague slate

Sunday

May 25, 2008 at 12:01 AM

Last week's announcement that ESPN will nationally televise Missouri's season opener against Illinois served a reminder that college football is just around the corner, which means its time to embark on the Tribune's third annual Big 12 Summer Countdown, a series of preseason lists and rankings that, come August, should have you fully prepared for the upcoming season.

Over the next few months we'll preview the Big 12 Conference every Sunday - both here in the Tribune's print edition and online at blogs.columbiatribune.com/football/ - looking at everything from the league's 12 best players by position, top newcomers, top assistant coaches and toughest schedules.

We start with a look at the fall's best nonconference games on Big 12 schedules, leading off with an opener that should look familiar.

1. Missouri vs. Illinois, Aug. 30 (in St. Louis): No telling why, but it's a watered-down September slate for Big 12 teams, making the Arch Rivalry game the undisputed best nonconference matchup of 2008. Both teams figure to be ranked among the preseason top 15 - high in the top 15 in Missouri's case - which makes this showdown perhaps the country's best game of the opening weekend. The Tigers have owned the Illini since the series was renewed in 2002, going 3-0 at the Edward Jones Dome, including last year's heart-stopping 40-34 victory. A loss for either team shouldn't spoil its season, but a win sure would help.

2. Virginia Tech at Nebraska, Sept. 27: New Cornhuskers Coach Bo Pelini gets a few gimmes (Western Michigan, San Jose State and New Mexico State) before Nebraska plays host to the ACC champion Hokies, led by Frank Beamer, who's been a head coach for 319 more games than Pelini's one.

3. Arkansas at Texas, Sept. 13: The spotlight shines on another new head coach as Arkansas' Bobby Petrino takes his Razorbacks into Austin, where they stunned the Longhorns 38-28 exactly five years ago to the date of this matchup.

4. Kansas at South Florida, Sept. 12: After opening with Florida International and Louisiana Tech - who went a combined 6-18 last year - the Jayhawks cut cupcakes from their diet with a Friday night kickoff in Tampa against the Big East upstarts, coached by former Missouri Tiger Jim Leavitt.

5. West Virginia at Colorado, Sept. 18: There's good news in Boulder: Colorado hosts the Big 12's first Thursday night ESPN game. The bad news: It comes against the dangerous Fiesta Bowl champs.

6. Cincinnati at Oklahoma, Sept. 6: Don't sleep on Brian Kelly's Bearcats, who won 10 games last year, one fewer than Oklahoma. Even scarier news for the Sooners: Cincinnati was 5-1 on the road last year.

7. TCU at Oklahoma, Sept. 27: Here's another non-BCS conference opponent to challenge the Sooners. Throw in a Sept. 13 trip to Seattle to face Washington - OU's first venture into Pac-10 country since the Oregon fiasco of 2006 - and Bob Stoops' team has a tougher schedule than you might think. OU balances it out with a rare game against a Football Championship Subdivision team, Chattanooga, which visits Norman on Aug. 30.

8. SMU at Texas Tech, Sept. 13: Granted, it might take a while for June Jones to get his offense flying high at SMU, but this one could get entertaining. That is, if you like offense.

9. Miami at Texas A&M, Sept. 20: Last year, the Hurricanes' humiliation of A&M on a Thursday night in Miami was the beginning of the end for Dennis Franchione. Let's see if Mike Sherman can do better as two middling programs try to restore their mojo.

10. Houston at Oklahoma State, Sept. 6: The Cowboys play host to two dangerous non-BCS teams in Houston and Troy. Lose one - or worse, both - and Mike Gundy's rear will start to warm. New Houston Cougars Coach Kevin Sumlin should be ready for the Pokes. He was an Oklahoma assistant the last five years.

11. Kansas State at Louisville, Sept. 17: A rare Wednesday night game pits two teams that disappointed their fans in 2007. Ron Prince's Wildcats can save face with a win at Papa Johns Cardinal Stadium, where Louisville is 21-2 the last four years.

12. Iowa State at Iowa, Sept. 13: Much like the Colorado-Colorado State game in Denver, this rivalry still creates a buzz within the state border, but it's become fairly irrelevant on a national scale.